Hokersar Wetland

Hokersar is a natural wetland about 14 km north-west of Srinagar, near Zainakote on the road to Baramulla. It is fed by the Doodhganga and covered in reeds and open water. It is protected as a wildlife reserve and recognised as a wetland of international importance under the Ramsar Convention.

Every winter it fills with migratory birds from Siberia, Central Asia and China: mallards, pintails, common teal, gadwall, pochards, greylag geese and more. Numbers peak between December and February, when the water is crowded with tens of thousands of birds.

Visiting

There is a watchtower and paths along the bunds. Come early in the morning with binoculars; the light is soft and the birds most active. This is a quiet, specialist outing — wonderful for birders and photographers, less so for children expecting a spectacle up close.